Podcast

Picture-Book-Summit-Podcast_feature_image_Betsy-Bird
September 6, 2022 In Podcast

Podcast – Betsy Bird: Great Picture Book Read-Alouds

Picture-Book-Summit-Podcast_feature_image_Betsy-BirdThis episode is an excerpt from the Picture Book Summit presentation Performance on the Page by author and uber-librarian Betsy Bird.

Betsy provides an in-depth examination of what separates the good picture book read-alouds from the great picture book read-alouds. Librarians have always known that picture books can often break down into two groups: one-on-one titles and read-aloud titles. One-on-ones are great for getting snuggly at bedtime, but if you want to engage a large crowd of kids, you need a text that pops in an entirely different way.

Betsy breaks down some of the most successful read-alouds, from classics to lesser known titles and more recent favorites.

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Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Hedlund - Query Letters That Worked
August 23, 2022 In Podcast

Podcast – Query Letters That Worked

Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Hedlund - Query Letters That WorkedToday’s episode comes from Picture Book Summit Co-Founders Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Hedlund. Emma and Julie are also co-creators of the Complete Picture Book Submission System. In this episode, you’ll hear them share their submission expertise as they provide you with the key components of a killer query letter and break down three real query letters critiqued by Emma or Julie that resulted in agent representation or a book contract. You’ll leave this episode with actionable items you can apply immediately to your own queries. Get ready to polish those queries until they shine brighter than you thought possible.

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Picture-Book-Summit-Podcast_feature_image_Emma-Walton-Hamilton
August 9, 2022 In Podcast

Podcast – Developing Ideas with Emma Walton Hamilton

Picture-Book-Summit-Podcast_feature_image_Emma-Walton-HamiltonToday it’s time for part three of Where the Idea Are series: Developing Ideas. Listen to the first two parts of the series below:

  • Part 1 – Generating Ideas with Katie Davis here
  • Part 2 – Assessing Ideas with Laura Backes here

Once you’ve generated the ideas and assessed them to see which ones are viable for a picture book, then you have to develop that idea and actually write the story.

At the core of every good picture book is a central dramatic question. What is that, anyway? Picture Book Summit co-founder Emma Walton Hamilton discusses the importance and function of the central dramatic question and how to find it while developing ideas.

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Laura Backes - Picture Book Summit Podcast
July 26, 2022 In Podcast

Podcast – Assessing Ideas with Laura Backes

Laura Backes - Picture Book Summit Podcast - Assessing IdeasOur yearly free Mini Summit is one of our favorite events. Our previous Mini Summit: Where the Idea Are was so full of juicy goodness, we decided to share it here on the podcast. Listen to Part 1 – Generating Ideas with Katie Davis here. In Part 2 of Where the Ideas Are: Assessing Ideas, PBSummit co-founder Laura Backes shares how to assess if your idea is one worth pursuing including…

  • Finding out if there’s room in the market for your idea
  • Deciding if your has kid-appeal
  • Determining if your idea is the right size for a picture book

Start assessing ideas before you write and be on the road to picture book writing success.

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Katie Davis - procrastination and your first 1000 readers
July 12, 2022 In Podcast

Podcast – Generating Ideas with Katie Davis

Katie Davis - procrastination and your first 1000 readers, generating ideas

Generating ideas for lots of picture books is one key to success! That’s why we did a whole Mini Summit on Where the Ideas Are. In this three-part series, we’ll share ways to generate ideas, assess ideas, and develop ideas. While we can’t tell you exactly where to get your next great idea, Katie Davis can give you tips for harvesting the ideas that are cropping up all around you.

Today’s episode was originally part of our free yearly Mini Summit! Be sure to add yourself to our notification list to hear all about our upcoming events. Plus, you’ll receive our favorite revision strategies just for signing up. Click here.

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Samantha-Berger
August 24, 2021 In Podcast

Podcast – Samantha Berger

Samantha-Berger

In today’s episode, we’ll hear from Samantha Berger, a twice Emmy-nominated writer and award-winning author of over 80 books for young readers, including Crankenstein, Monster’s New Undies, Snail Mail, and Rock What You Got! Now, she’s revealing five things you need to know about being AND writing funny.

Samantha Berger may not be an otter with an attitude, a monstrously cranky boy, OR a Snail crossing America, but she has written about them all. Sam is a twice Emmy-nominated writer and award-winning author of over 80 books for young readers. Samantha LOVES picture books, and loves sharing them with people of all ages. She wrote for Nickelodeon for 12 years, and currently writes for Sesame Street in Communities, Sesame Street International, and various preschool shows. Sam likes to see as much of the world as she can, and do as much good as she can along the way. She is an official We Need Diverse Books Mentor, and looks forward to helping new voices and new stories shine.

Wondering what it takes to be funny in picture books? Listen in to Samantha Berger’s top 5 tips:

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Picture-Book-Summit-Podcast_feature_image_Emma-Walton-Hamilton
August 3, 2021 In Podcast

Podcast – Submission Savvy

Picture-Book-Summit-Podcast_feature_image_Emma-Walton-Hamilton

In Submission Savvy, Emma Walton Hamilton talks about the three things you should do before you start submitting, submissions dos and don’ts, query etiquette, and the key components of your query letter, including how to craft your hook and what to include in your bio.

Emma Walton Hamilton is a best-selling children’s book author, editor, and writing coach.  With her mother, actress/author Julie Andrews, Emma has co-authored over thirty children’s books, eight of which have been on the NY Times Bestseller list, including The Very Fairy Princess series. She is Director of the Children’s Lit Fellows program at Stony Brook University and co-host of the Julie’s Library Podcast.

Are you asking yourself what is it going to take to get from query to offer? Listen in as Emma reveals all!

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picture_book_podcast_Jennie Dunham
July 22, 2021 In Podcast

Podcast – Jennie Dunham

picture_book_podcast_Jennie Dunham

Today’s episode showcases literary agent Jennie Dunham, founder of Dunham Literary Inc. Jennie shares insight on what agents do, what they don’t do, and how to prepare for working with an agent.

Jennie Dunham has been a literary agent since 1992 and founded Dunham Literary, Inc. in 2000. She represents literary fiction and non-fiction for adults and children. Her clients’ books have appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers lists and have won numerous awards including: New York Times Best Illustrated Book, The Schneider Family Award, Boston Globe Horn Book Honor, and Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist.

Wondering what an agent really does and what they’re really looking for? Jennie Dunham’s here to give you The Agent’s Perspective.

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Katie Davis - procrastination and your first 1000 readers
July 6, 2021 In Podcast

Podcast – Positive Procrastination

Katie Davis - your first 1000 readers

You vow again and again, “Today I will work on my book!” But something just keeps getting in the way. In this episode, Katie Davis shares insights and tips for avoiding procrastination and getting your “BIC” or Butt In Chair. Listen in for a few tricks that will give you the motivation needed to complete your next draft or revision.

Katie Davis is the author/illustrator of over a dozen traditionally published books for children (picture books, middle grade, and young adult novels). She edited and self-published How to Write a Children’s Book and How to Promote Your Children’s Book, both debuting  at #1 on Amazon.

Katie is a co-founder of Picture Book Summit and is the former director of the Institute of Children’s Literature and its sister school, the Institute for Writers, where, as of this writing, over 470,027 people have taken college-level writing courses and learned to write for both children and adults.

If you’re ready to stop procrastinating and start writing, check out today’s podcast episode!

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Ruth Spiro
June 22, 2021 In Podcast

Podcast – Ruth Spiro

Ruth Spiro

Nonfiction picture books are one of the fastest-growing segments of the market today, but how do you make them accessible and fun, even for the youngest of audiences? In this episode, award-winning author Ruth Spiro explains how to introduce complex scientific topics in a way that makes them understandable and engaging for younger readers, and even babies. Listen in to sharpen your skills related to STEM-based writing for children.

Ruth Spiro is the author of the Baby Loves Science board book series, published by Charlesbridge. Titles include Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering, Baby Loves Coding and Baby Loves Green Energy. Ruth’s STEM-themed picture book series, Made by Maxine, is about an inspiring young Maker who knows that with enough effort, imagination, and recyclables, it’s possible to invent anything.

If you’ve been wanting to write STEM or STEAM picture books and/or board books, let Ruth introduce you to concepts that will help you connect with your young readers

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